Early Years

Welcome to our Early Years Foundation Stage

At Sunshine Academy our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides a secure, stimulating, and inclusive environment where every child can develop a lifelong love of learning. We recognise that the early years are a crucial time in a child’s development, and we are committed to providing the highest quality education and care to help each child reach their full potential.

Our Vision

Our EYFS provision lays the foundations for future learning by nurturing curiosity, independence, and resilience. We aim to ensure that every child leaves Reception as a confident, capable, and enthusiastic learner, ready to succeed in Key Stage 1 and beyond.

Our Curriculum

Our EYFS curriculum is guided by the four overarching principles:

1. Every child is a unique child

2. Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

3. Children learn and develop well in enabling environments

4. Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates

We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that supports children’s development across the seven areas of learning:

· Communication and Language

· Physical Development

· Personal, Social and Emotional Development

· Literacy

· Mathematics

· Understanding the World

· Expressive Arts and Design

Learning is carefully planned to build on children’s interests and prior knowledge. Through a blend of adult-led and child-initiated activities, we encourage exploration, creativity, and critical thinking.

Partnership with Parents and Carers

We recognise parents and carers as children’s first and most enduring educators. Strong partnerships between home and school are central to our approach.

We regularly share information about children’s learning and progress through meetings, reports, informal conversations and sharing learning on ClassDojo or through the school newsletter. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s learning journey and celebrate achievements both at home and in school.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At Sunshine Academy we are committed to inclusion and equality of opportunity for all children. Our provision is designed to meet the needs of every learner, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), those learning English as an additional language (EAL), and children who may require additional support.

The wellbeing of each child is at the heart of our EYFS practice. We ensure children feel safe, valued, and respected, enabling them to develop confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.

Transition and Next Steps

We place great importance on supporting smooth transitions—whether from nursery to Reception, or from Reception to Year 1. Through close collaboration between staff, parents, and children, we ensure that each child feels secure and confident as they move into the next stage of their education.